Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski Joins For Pits' Sake to Combat Dog FightingUFC Former Heavyweight Champion Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski joins the For Pits' Sake "Knock Out Dog Fighting" program to combat the cruel and illegal activity of dog fighting.

Los Gatos, CA (PRWEB) August 13, 2008 -- Ever since Andrei Arlovski's Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career began, he has been proud to carry "The Pit Bull" nickname. Arlovski is showing his love for the breed by joining forces with the nonprofit organization For Pits' Sake, Inc. to bring awareness to the cruel and illegal activity of dog fighting and its oft-maligned victim, the American Pit Bull Terrier.

The award-winning "Knock Out Dog Fighting" program is part of an educational campaign designed by For Pits' Sake founder Kris Crawford to bring awareness to the abhorrent activity of dog fighting. "When the story of Michael Vick's dog fighting business came out, the general public was given a glimpse of the sadistic world of dog fighting," said Crawford. "They were horrified to learn that dog fighters not only force these animals to fight to the death, many also engage in violence against the dogs by means of electrocution, strangulation, kicking, and other unimaginable acts of cruelty. The public had known there were evil people out there who trained dogs to fight, but it took a big media event to take the barbaric practice of dog fighting to the forefront of their consciousness."

It is estimated that there are 40,000 professional dog fighters in the United States and as many as 100,000 amateurs involved, including children and gang-affiliated teens. So even with Michael Vick and cohorts behind bars, at this very moment, a pit bull is being tortured to fight, or tortured because it didn't fight or tortured because it lost. "In a sense, the Vick case was a blessing in the fact that it's brought this issue to light, that this is happening in our society," said Crawford. "People are learning about the cruelty many pit bulls are forced to endure and more people are turning in suspected dog fighting operations. We can't let this issue fall out of the public eye and that's why we are thrilled to partner with Andrei 'The Pit Bull' Arlovski."

Arlovski is a role model to children and young adults around the world and with the sport of MMA becoming one of the fastest growing sports, Team Pit Bull recently re-launched the Official Andrei Arlovski Website that includes a social network for his fans. The new and improved web site offers fan-friendly and interactive features which include the rare opportunity to video chat with Arlovski himself. Team Pit Bull's manager, Leo Khorolinsky said, "In the coming weeks Andrei will begin working very closely with For Pits' Sake and the Knock Out Dog Fighting program and getting all of the interested Arlovski.com members involved as well."

Arlovski is currently on the USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour in Japan. He is visiting the region to extend his heartfelt gratitude and boost troop morale, demonstrate fighting techniques, share his experiences battling some of today's toughest competitors and sign autographs.

Through this partnership with For Pits' Sake and their fight to expose the callous cruelty of dog fighting, Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski is demonstrating that he is a champion both in and out of the cage.

About For Pits Sake, Inc. (ForPitsSake.org):For Pits' Sake, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has been a leader in the community for both human and animal rescue efforts, safety programs for children, and humane education for over a decade. As world-famous search and rescue dogs, the For Pits' Sake pit bulls responded to over 200 search missions including high profile cases such as the search for Laci Peterson and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. These pit bulls - Cheyenne, Dakota & Tahoe - are also trained therapy dogs that work with disabled and abused children. Because of the success they've had with their programs and activities, Crawford and her pit bulls have received numerous awards, including the American Red Cross Real Hero Award, a Certificate of Appreciation from the FBI, letters of appreciation from Senators and Assembly Members and a letter from the Governor of CA stating that they "demonstrate the true strength of California and represent the best of the Golden State".

About Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski (Arlovski.com):Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, two-time Sambo world champion and former police officer from Belarus. Arlovski is considered one of the top 5 Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters in the world and after leaving the UFC, inked a three-fight contract with Affliction. In his first fight for Affliction, he defeated top-ranked heavyweight fighter (and former IFL standout) Ben Rothwell in electrifying fashion. The fight ended Rothwell's 13-fight winning streak and was his first defeat in more than three years. Arlovski's next fight is against another former UFC Heavyweight champion Josh "The Babyface Assassin" Barnett and is the main event of Affliction 2: "Day of Reckoning", which takes place on October 11th in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view.